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Tobacco use in Ukraine is a major public health problem that imposes a substantial health and economic burden on the country. On December 17, 2017, the government passed a seven-year plan (2018-2024) laying out annual increases in the price of cigarettes. This seven-year plan is significant as, for the first time in the history of tobacco excise taxes in Ukraine, annual increases in the specific tax rate imposed on cigarettes are mandatory for many years into the future.

Tobacco packs can be colorful, attractive, and come in exciting shapes and sizes. Plain and standardized packaging removes the potential for companies to use these attractive elements by only allowing the tobacco pack to be presented in one color, shape, and size that is designed to be minimally attractive. This policy stipulates that packs may contain no brand imagery, and also that the brand name be written in a specific font, color, and size. Australia was the first country to introduce plain and standardized packaging for cigarettes in 2011, with the law taking effect in 2012.

Tobacco companies use tobacco packaging as a way to promote and market their products and increase sales. In the absence of effective packaging and labeling requirements, the tobacco industry produces appealing packaging that creates brand recognition with the use of eye-catching colors, designs and trademarks. Tobacco companies exploit all elements of tobacco packaging to market their products including the outer film, tear tape, inner frame, pack inserts and onserts.

IGTC partnered with The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) to assess compliance with smoke-free policies and point-of-sale policies across priority jurisdictions in China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. The factsheets and reports present key findings, along with recommendations, to strengthen compliance with smoke-free and point-of-sale policies across these four countries.

This report provides an overview of the projected impacts of a policy that bans or restricts the use of flavors in tobacco products as well as evidence-based policy recommendations for maximizing public health benefits and minimizing unintended consequences.

Health warning labels (HWLs) can help diminish the appeal of of packaging and communicate risked from tobacco use. In November 2018, 15 focus group discussion were conducted in Mexico City, Mexico to examine the ways in which cigarette packs appeal to adolescents and young adults and how the pack features affect perceptions of the HWLs.

Second-hand smoke in the home, even those with children present, is a major public health issue in China. Households with children were more likely to limit smoking to certain areas of the home but not ban it altogether. See the results from a study in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzen.

IGTC worked in collaboration with the American Cancer Society, the Pan-American Health Organization, and CONADIC (Comisión Nacional Contra Las Addiciones) to support the research of Belén Sáenz de Miera Juárez (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur) and Luz Myriam Reynales Shigematsu (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública). This comprehensive, independent study found that the consumption of illicit cigarettes in Mexico is much lower than what the tobacco industry claims (8.8% vs 17%).

Every year, on 31 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The annual campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

IGTC partnered with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and the Comisión Nacional Permanente de Lucha Antitabáquica (COLAT), a network of tobacco control advocacy organizations in Peru, to conduct a follow-up study of tobacco product availability and advertising at the point-of-sale (POS). This study found a high concentration of tobacco retailers in close proximity to 106 primary and secondary schools across Lima.